Track-clearer



(NoMode1.

J. M. CHRISTOPHER.

TRACK GLEARER.

N0. 371,032. Patented Get. 4, 1887.

W1-r- N12-ESSE mu/EN; EFL- u. vertus, Pnawumagpher, wa-hinion. D. c,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE..

Y JOHN M. CHRISTOPHER, OF CLIFTON, MARYLAND.

TRACK-CLEARER.

SPECIFICATION forming part; of Letters Patent No. 371,032, dated October4, 1887.

Application led April 2Q, 188'?. Serial No. 235,742. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN M. CHRIsTorIIER, of Clifton, in the county ofBaltimore and State of Maryland, have invented certain Improvements inTrack-Cleaners for Street-Railways, of which the following'is aspecication.

This invention relates to an improved apparatus for cleaning ice andsnow, as well as dirt,from the tracks of street-railways. I

Figure I is a side elevation of the invention, and Fig. II an end Viewlooking in the direction indicated by the arrow. Figs. III, IV, and Vare details of the invention, the last named being shown in perspective.

Similar letters of reference indicate similar parts in all the figures.

A is the truck, having the axles a a,which revolve in boxes, (notshown,) as is common.

B B are disks or wheels secured to the axles a a in the same manner asordinary car-wheels. These wheels have sharpened edges, and the wheelson each axle are so spaced that the flat sides thereof come closely incontact with the sides of the elevated. portion of the rails on whichthe car-Wheels run.

C C are plates, of woodor metal, four of Which are employed, asshown inthe drawings. These plates have holes therein, through which the axlesextend and in which they turn loosely.

D D are bars, having extensions b'b, which are pivoted at c to theplates C, and these bars are provided with curved Scrapers E and F,which are designed to scrape the two parts of the track represented by fand e.

By reference to the drawings it will be seen that the scrapers E aredirectly over the elevated portion of the rails e, while the ones F areadapted to bear on the ilanges f of the same, and it is to admit of thelatter scrapers bearing on practically the whole flange that the wheelsB are sharpened and the scrapers F ared at their lower ends, as shown inthe drawings. (See particularly FigV.) At the back of each scraper issecured a block, G, of rubber or some other similar material,which, asthe scraper is lowered, bears against the surface of the rail andrubsoff any ice, snow, or dirt left thereon in a loose condition by theScrapers. The rubber blocks are backed by plates g g and heldin place bymeans of bolts hh.

H H are stops to limit the downward movement of the Scrapers and rubberblocks, and these stops preferably consist of extensions from the platesC.

'Ihe bars D D are connected in pairs by means of rods k, and areoperated by means of handles I from the truck A, and in order that theymay be held at any required height the said handles are notched andpawls m m employed,which are fitted to enter the notches, as will bereadily understood. I do not, however, contine myself to the use of thehandles shown, as other devices could be employed in place of themwithout affecting the result. While it is preferred to have the Scrapersdirectly under the axles a in order that they may be eHective as thetrack-cleaner is rounding curves, they could be situated between theaxles or in front of the axles, it' desired.

The rubber blocks G have lateral extensions 7o n,with recessed, curved,or beveled lower surfaces, (see Figs;1 II and V,) to clean thepavement'immediately adjacent to the track.

It will be understood that in suspending the sera-pers from the platesC, or any equivalent device connected directly with the axles, aconstant pressure of the scrapers can be maintained on the track-aresult that could not be easily accomplished if they were hung from thetruck.

KKare circular brushes on theaxle o,which turn loosely in boxes p p,adapted to have a vertical motion in the plates C C. The said brushesare revolved by means of the pulleys L and M, the former being on one ofthe axles d and the latter on the brush axle o, and a suitable belt, q,which is crossed to make the brushes revolve in a direction contrary tcthat of the car-wheel. The means preferably ernployed to elevate thebrushes and their axle consists of a pair of chains or ropes, rr,whicl1lead over sheaves s s, and connected to a single chain or rope, t, whichis attached to a lever, O, operated from the truck. 'Ihe weight of thebrushes is expected to give them sufiicient pressure on the track-rails;but springs can be used to increase the pressure, if necessary.

I claim as my inventionl. In a trackcleaner, the combination of roopendent scrapers adapted to iit the surface of the track-rails, pivotedto supports hung from the axles, and means to elevate and depress theSaid Scrapers, substantially as and for the purpose Specified.

2. In a track cleaner, the combination 0f 'Wheels with sharpened edges,and pivobed Scrapers arranged on both sides of the said wheels andadapted to 1in the Surface of the Atrack-rails, Substantially as and forthe purpose specified.

3. In a track-cleaner, pivoted Scrapers 1o

